6 colleagues on MH17 - top Aids offical

Luggage and belongings are seen near the site of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash, near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region. Photo: Maxim Zmeyev

Melbourne - International Aids Society president Francoise Barre-Sinoussi on Saturday said six colleagues heading for a global conference in Melbourne were on a Malaysian plane that crashed over Ukraine, not 100 as reports suggested.

“The number that we have confirmed through our contacts with authorities in Australia, in Malaysia and Dutch authorities as well is six people. It may be a little bit more, but not the numbers that have been announced,” she said. - Sapa-AFP